Five Ways to Start Making Your Senior’s Home Fall-Proof
You may feel as if there isn’t much that you can do to help your elderly family member to avoid a fall, but there is much more that you can do than you might think.
Homecare in Philadelphia PA: Senior Safety
Watch How She Maneuvers
Before you make any changes, watch how your elderly family member maneuvers around her home. If she’s grasping furniture and walls as she works her way through her home, she might benefit from assistive devices such as a walker or cane. She might also need grab bars throughout the house.
Look for Tripping Hazards
Look for anything that could cause your elderly family member to trip and fall. This might include furniture that could stand a bit of rearranging or clutter that makes its way to the floor. Make sure that your senior has a clear pathway through the home and that flooring is in good condition. Tuck cords around the perimeter of the room instead of letting them cross pathways.
Widen Doors
Narrow doors can be common in older homes, but they make maneuvering more difficult, especially if you’ve convinced your senior to use a walker regularly. It’s a good idea to work out whether you can widen those doorways to accommodate your senior. If you’re not handy yourself, you may be able to find someone handy with tools who can take care of the work inexpensively.
Install Grab Bars, Especially in Tubs
Grab bars, especially in the tub, can be tremendously helpful. They’re secure as long as they’re installed correctly and they can keep your senior on her feet. Install them anywhere that you have the wall space and encourage your senior to use them regularly. She may balk at first, but once she realizes how helpful they are, she may change her mind.
Use a Gentle Slope on Ramps
If you need to install ramps to make it easier for your senior to get into and out of the house, make sure that the ramp uses a very gentle slope. Steep slopes can cause your elderly family member to be off balance, even with a walker or a cane. It’s much better to have a longer ramp that has less of an incline than to have a short, steep one.
You might also want to consider hiring home care providers. Not only can they help her to do things at home, but they can also pay attention to whether she’s using her assistive devices properly, or at all. They can let you know if they spot any other potential safety hazards.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering Homecare in Philadelphia, PA, please contact the friendly staff at Suma Home Care. Call today: (484) 206-4544
Ibrahim recently completed a Professional Certificate in Management; He is currently pursuing a Masters in Business Administrations (MBA) at a prestigious university in the UK.
With their passion for helping others and a strong background in customer services and clinical care, Ibrahim and his wife started assisting individuals in their homes.
Since started and operating Suma Home Care in 2010 in the basement of their home, Suma Home Care has provided professionals who work endlessly in providing clients with the highest quality of care, while enabling clients to maintain dignity, comfort and safety in their homes.
Suma Home Care, serves four counties in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia. Ibrahim is firmly connected to his local community and is always looking for ways to give back whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Ibrahim enjoys spending time with his wife and children, travelling and enjoys sports.
Mariama Suma-Keita BSN RN
Born in Sierra Leone west Africa, relocated to America in 1999 from a civil war and settled since in the U.S.A as a Naturalized citizen Graduated from National school of nursing with an associate , and completed BSN in Nursing from Immaculata University graduated with Honor roll Alpha Lambda sigma, After escaping the war served as a refugee nurse in Gambia and Guinea to other displaced refugees before coming to America.
In the states started in Homecare then then transition into hospital, worked in Jefferson hospital as a Registered nurse on Tele and general medsurg floor, also worked in Einstein hospital as an oncology transplant nurse , I realized that I enjoy working with patients so much and believe in quality and compassionate care one at a time dealing with an holistic approach in caring for patients and family in a familiar environment called home , I see the impact and progress when they’re home , it makes them feel relax and progress fast with recovering at home. As a nurse and entrepreneur I understand that dedication to meeting people and families needs is a priority, and able to foster relationships with family and patients that is professional and friendly to help them stay and settled home as a desire.
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